Scouting Report: Todd Withers
Another name that could play on the highest level in Europe is in my opinion Todd Withers. His first season in Europe for Fortitudo Bologna was decent, he wasn’t dominating stats wise but he has shown on some occasions that he has the potential for something more.
BACKGROUND INFO
Position: F
Height: 202 cm (6 ft 8 in)
Date of Birth: 6/5/1996
Nationality: American
Previous clubs:
2018–20 Grand Rapids Drive
Averaged 11.8 points and 6.7 rebounds at Queens University in NCAA II. He went undrafted in the 2018 NBA Draft and joined the Grand Rapids Drive in the G league where he played for two seasons. In first season he averaged 6.9 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 1.0 steals and 0.8 blocks per game and in his second season 10.7 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game. Recently ended 2020/21 season was his first in Europe where he played for Fortitudo Bologna.
VIDEO REPORT:
OFFENSE
Shooting: Todd is a very good shooter from distance. Has a good shooting stroke with a pretty smooth release. Most of his attempts are catch & shoots and he is efficient in those situations. He moves fluidly without the ball and can play as an off screen shooter. Shot from distance is definitely a strength from Todd and this could be useful in so many teams on top level.
Post Ups: Todd is a versatile wing with inside and outside game. In Bologna he was playing mostly as a power forward and he has shown some good post up game. Strong and athletic enough to create some separation and has a solid touch on those jump hook finishes. Most of his finishes are with his stronger right hand and needs to improve his left hand finishes.
Slashing: His handles and 1-on-1 skills on the perimeter aren’t the best and he is usually having a hard time beating the defense from a standstill position. He has great athleticism with explosive burst and could be a better slasher than he is at the moment but still very good at attacking the closeouts or in catch & drives. He can improve in his slashing game and become an even better offensive player.
Cutting: Todd has really great instincts for cuts. Follows the actions and cuts directly to the rim where he is usually going for dunks. Such a great athlete and it is almost impossible to stop once he gets some separation in the paint and is close to the rim.
Transition: Just looking at his athleticism, Todd should be a little better in transition. I’m not saying that he is a bad player in transition but he should use his athletic tools more often, especially after grabbing a rebound. He is hard to stop when he runs the floor and he could score a few more points per game in transition.
DEFENSE
Perimeter Defense: Todd has all the tools to defend on perimeter. Solid reactions, moves his feet well and good lateral movements. Also a great decelerator and when the offense tries to take off the dribble shots, Todd can stop quickly and transfer the energy into a vertical movement and block those shots. Has the ability to switch on pick & rolls and defend smaller players.
Post Up Defense: With his size and athleticism, Todd is also able to defend on post ups. Strong enough to maintain the position and not letting any easy points. Pretty tough and not afraid of contact. Defensive versatility is definitely his big strength and top teams should be looking at players like Todd that can defend all positions.
Rebounding: Todd is also a very good rebounder for his size and position. Of course his athleticism helps him a lot in this area but he is showing some great timing and instincts too. Has a great second jump, always competes for rebounds and can even grab some rebounds in traffic.
Steals & Blocks: He is showing some good anticipation for steals and especially for blocks. He has explosive burst and protects the rim very well for a player his size. Can block shots in 1-on1- defense, on closeouts and also as a weak side defender. Sometimes he could be a little smarter when to go for steals but he still averages one steal per game which is a solid number.
SUMMARY
Todd Withers is a really interesting name that should get some attention in this offseason. He plays great without the ball in offense and can reliably make open shots and also capable of making some highlight dunks. His 1-on-1 skills need a little more work on, especially his ball handling and perimeter skills.
In defense he can defend multiple positions but is the best at defending wings — be it outside or inside.
In Bologna he played mostly as power forward but I believe he has an even higher potential playing as a wing.
